8 Calming Foods That Help Fight Stress Naturally, According to Experts

 Since your incompetent? doctor has no clue on getting you 100% recovered at least s/he could provide this diet protocol to alleviate your stress of not recovering. But NOTHING WILL OCCUR,  your stress is your own to handle. My relief would be a screaming match with my doctor!

8 Calming Foods That Help Fight Stress Naturally, According to Experts

What you eat can shape how you feel—here’s how gut-friendly foods like berries, salmon, oats, and even dark chocolate can help calm your mind and ease everyday stress.

By

Betty Gold

 

 

Published on December 9, 2025

The gut and brain are deeply connected, meaning what you eat can directly impact how your body manages stress and anxiety.

• A diet rich in fiber, lean proteins, and probiotic or prebiotic foods—like berries, chickpeas, salmon, and oats—can help stabilize mood and support gut health.
• Small, smart food choices like sipping chamomile tea, enjoying dark chocolate, or adding more citrus and whole grains to meals can make a real difference in how you feel day-to-day.

Between endless errands, coping with financial concerns, or solving the ultimate quandary of how to keep your home tidy while working full-time and/or raising a family, it's no wonder that stress symptoms are soaring these days. Chronic stress and anxiety can negatively affect your overall health—both physical and mental—in more ways than you might realize, and learning how to deal with it and prevent it in the future is an important part of taking care of yourself and your short- and long-term health. 

Nutrition is one of the fundamental factors that can affect the way your brain and body handle stress. The foods you put on your plate really can help you feel a little less stressed and a little more zen. A key piece of the food-meets-mood puzzle is actually your gut microbiome, and so most gut-healthy foods and eating habits are also stress-fighting foods and eating habits.

The Link Between Food, Stress, and Gut Health

According to Ian Smith, MD, a physician, gut-health expert, and bestselling author, your gut health is very closely linked to your brain and nervous system, and therefore your body's ability to manage stress.

"The connection between anxiety and the gut runs deep," he says. "Distress or anxiety can trigger the immune system to send out signals to break down the gut lining. An imbalanced or damaged gut can then drive a chronic stress response, which stimulates our body to end fight-or-flight mode."1

The result? More gut damage. Clearly, it's a vicious cycle. The good news is that there are endless, probiotic-rich ingredients that'll help you eat your way to a happier, healthier gut—and hopefully lower your stress level in the process.

"Research has shown that all roads lead to the health of our gut microbiome—our well-being depends on it," adds Raphael Kellman, MD, a physician of integrative and functional medicine in New York City. The microbes residing in our intestines are intimately connected to our mood, yes, but also our metabolism, immune function, digestion, hormones, inflammation, and even gene expression.1

The most effective way to make over your intestinal bacteria is by changing what you feed them—and yourself. "Diet is key,” Dr. Kellman says. “It should include lots of fresh prebiotic foods with plenty of probiotic foods as well."

Best Stress-Fighting Foods and Nutrients

Here are the top stress-relieving foods and nutrients that experts recommend to support your gut health—and therefore your mental health.

01of 08

Salmon and Other Lean Proteins Rich in Omega-3s

A prime example is salmon, which contains plenty of omega-3 fatty acids. These have been shown to improve brain health, and you can find them in other fatty fish, as well as plant sources like nuts, seeds, and soy products.2 Other lean proteins like chicken are great too: The amino acids they contain can help with mood, says Dr. Smith.3 Avoid meats with high amounts of saturated fat.

02of 08

Fiber-Filled Fruits—Especially Berries

It’s all about fiber, folks. According to Dr. Smith, fiber is a massive driver of good bacteria in the gut, and most Americans get way too little of it. The best way to get more fiber is to eat foods that are grown from the ground. This includes everything from nuts and seeds to lentils and popcorn, to, of course, vegetables and fruits. Berries are an incredibly fiber-rich food source, especially raspberries, blackberries, and wild blueberries.4 Plus, some berries (like blueberries) have also been shown to reduce cortisol, a stress hormone that can negatively affect your mood.

03of 08

Oranges

Speaking of stress-busting fruits, oranges are rich in vitamin C—one orange contains 82 milligrams of the vitamin, filling almost your entire day's needs.5 Perhaps best known for its immune-boosting powers, vitamin C can help alleviate stress (even the aroma is calming).

In one study that subjected volunteers to a stressful task, those who took the vitamin fared better on measurements of stress than those who received a placebo. The vitamin had a subjective effect on participants (subjects reported feeling better), and it also worked on the cardiovascular (heart) and neuroendocrine (brain and hormones) systems.6

"Start your day with an orange at breakfast or have one as a tasty afternoon snack paired with almonds or yogurt," Bauer recommends. "Add one to your salad for a bit of tart sweetness, incorporate one into salsa, or use one as a topper for chicken or fish. Try tossing orange sections into smoothies—it's great paired with other vitamin-C-rich fruits, such as strawberries, lemon, mango, pineapple, papaya, kiwi, or grapefruit."

04

of 08

Chickpeas

Chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans) are rich in tryptophan, an essential amino acid that plays a role in the gut-brain connection since the body uses it to help produce serotonin, a mood-stabilizing, feel-good chemical in the brain. Studies have shown that tryptophan depletion may be linked to anxiety.7 "It's just one amino acid (and the least abundant) that competes to get into the brain," Bauer explains. "And adding some carbs helps move the powerful amino acid along. Chickpeas provide tryptophan and slow-burning carbs, a winning combo for squashing stress in one convenient package."

This versatile legume also contains folate, a B vitamin that helps regulate mood; a cup of cooked chickpeas provides more than 70% of the daily recommended intake.8 Plus, the high protein (14.5 g per cooked cup) and fiber (12.5 g per cooked cup) content can help steady blood sugars and stabilize mood.9

05of 08

Eggs, Nuts, and Turkey

All of these ingredients also provide a tryptophan-heavy punch, which, again, is essential to making serotonin: a key good-mood enabler.

06of 08

Chamomile Tea

Chamomile acts as a mild sedative, and it may ease muscle tension and tame anxiety or irritability.10 Chamomile is among the most widely used and well-known medicinal plants in the world—so much so that over 1 million cups are consumed each day, Bauer says. It's also caffeine-free, so you can drink a soothing cup of it before you head to bed. For a more flavorful way to destress, try a tea recipe that blends chamomile with cinnamon, apple cider, and lemon.

07of 08

Steel-Cut Oats

A warm bowl of oatmeal has many health benefits. It delivers a solid dose of tryptophan, helping the body produce serotonin.11 “All types of oats are terrific, but I'm a fan of steel-cut in particular because they're minimally processed, which results in a slower increase in blood sugar and helps stabilize your mood," Bauer says.12 Oats also contain magnesium; people who are deficient in this essential mineral may be more likely to suffer from depression and anxiety.13 Magnesium has a large impact on our stress levels and sleep, helping to regulate a particular neurotransmitter that calms the mind. It’s also responsible for activating the benefits of vitamin D in the body. 

Steel-cut oats take longer to cook than quick-cooking oats. Two shortcuts: Use a slow cooker to whip up an overnight version, or prepare steel-cut oats in advance (on the stovetop or using the slow-cooker method), and freeze individual 1-cup portions. When you wake up, just pop a container out of the freezer, microwave it (you may need to add a splash of water or milk to thin it out), and enjoy it like regular oatmeal. Think you'll get bored of this breakfast staple? There are tons of delicious oatmeal recipes that are as simple as mixing up a batch and changing out your toppings.

08of 08

Dark Chocolate

Great news: Chocolate contains polyphenols, which are great antioxidants that have been shown to improve brain function and mood.14 "But I really mean dark—not milk [chocolate]!" Dr. Smith emphasizes. The darker the chocolate, the less added sugar it contains—an ingredient that, sadly, has been found to impact mood and stress regulation more negatively than you might have thought.15

Focus on Plant-Based Foods for Stress Relief

When it comes to stress-relieving foods, here's the bottom line: Eat a variety of mostly plant-based foods, and your gut health—and by extension your mental health—will be on its way to better shape. Limit foods that can exacerbate stress and anxiety (think: sugar, saturated fats, alcohol), and prioritize produce, legumes, whole grains, and lean proteins and seafood. Vary the fruits and vegetables you're eating too, as each one will contain its own uniquely beneficial species of bacteria that your system needs to thrive.

How many eggs should you eat per week to lower the risk of dementia?

 Or is your doctor incompetently stuck in the past and still blames cholesterol in your bloodstream from eating eggs?

How many eggs should you eat per week to lower the risk of dementia?

Eggs are one of the most common foods in the world. Some people start their morning with them, others incorporate them into a salad or a quick dinner, and for years they have stood at the center of countless nutritional debates. Once warned against for their cholesterol, later praised for their protein and nutritional value, a new study now places them once again at the center of attention, this time in the context of brain health.

A large–scale study published recently found an intriguing link between egg consumption and a reduced risk of cognitive decline in older age. Researchers tracked tens of thousands of participants over a period of years and discovered that even a relatively moderate consumption of eggs was associated with a significant advantage.

The study was based on data from more than 39 thousand people aged 65 and older who participated in the large Adventist Health Study 2 in the United States. Throughout the years, participants were asked about their dietary habits, including the frequency of eating eggs, and the researchers tracked their health status for an average of about 15 years.

When the researchers compared the eating habits with the medical diagnoses that developed later, they identified a clear trend: People who ate eggs regularly had a lower risk of developing significant cognitive decline.

 According to the data, even eating eggs only once to three times a month was associated with a 17 percent decrease in risk. Among those who ate eggs two to four times a week, a 20 percent decrease was observed, while among those who ate eggs at least five times a week, a 27 percent decrease was observed.

Why eggs specifically?

According to the researchers, eggs contain several nutritional components that are particularly important for brain activity.

One of the central ones among them is choline, a substance that the body uses to produce acetylcholine: A neurotransmitter with a central role in memory, learning, and attention. Previous studies have already shown that people suffering from cognitive decline often have lower levels of acetylcholine and damage to the cells that produce it.

One hard–boiled egg contains about 27 percent of the recommended daily intake of choline, making it one of the richest dietary sources of this component.

Beyond that, eggs also contain antioxidants such as lutein and zeaxanthin. These are natural pigments that are also found in green vegetables and corn, and are considered substances that may assist in reducing inflammation and oxidative stress in neural tissues.

In addition, eggs provide omega–3 and phospholipids: Healthy fats that support cell structure and the capacity for communication between nerve cells.

Not only eggs: What else is important for the brain?

Experts emphasize that there is no single magic food that can guarantee a healthy brain over the years. Numerous studies indicate that a Mediterranean–style diet, based on vegetables, fruits, legumes, fish, olive oil, and whole grains, is associated with better preservation of brain functions. Dietary patterns such as DASH and MIND have also been linked in recent years to a lower risk of cognitive decline and dementia.

But diet is only part of the picture. Regular physical activity, quality sleep, social activity, intellectual stimulation, and stress reduction are all considered important factors in maintaining brain health over the years.

So how many eggs is it really advisable to eat? Nutrition experts explain that for most healthy people, eating eggs in moderation is considered safe and can even be part of a balanced and healthy menu.

In recent years, many health organizations have already moved away from the old approach that warned against eggs sweepingly, especially when they are consumed as part of a balanced diet.

However, people with certain heart diseases, particularly high cholesterol, or other medical conditions still need to consult a doctor or a dietitian regarding the amount that is appropriate for them.

Meanwhile, the new study adds another layer to the scientific debate surrounding one of the simplest and most popular foods in the world: It serves as a reminder that even our small habits in the kitchen may have a long–term impact on health.

Alzheimer’s study finds link between breakfast staple and reduced risk of disease

 I may have to bump up my egg  consumption to go along with the coffee reduction of Alzheimers.

Alzheimer’s study finds link between breakfast staple and reduced risk of disease

(NEXSTAR) – A study from researchers at Loma Linda University in California suggests that eating eggs — fairly frequently — could be linked to lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease among older adults.

The findings, published in the Journal of Nutrition, indicated a 27 percent decreased risk of Alzheimer’s among study participants who ate at least five eggs per week, but even participants who ate fewer eggs were said to have a reduced risk, including those who only ate eggs between one and three times per month, according to the study.

“Overall, any egg intake was associated with a 17 percent to 27 percent reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease relative to no intake,” reads a portion of the published results.

The findings were based on an analysis of a large nationwide study comprised of Seventh Day Adventists at Loma Linda University who enrolled in 2007. Only information from those over the age of 65 at enrollment was considered in the latest published study.  

Previous studies have found similar links between egg consumption and Alzheimer’s risk. A 2024 study out of University of California San Diego had determined that egg consumption among middle-aged participants was associated with “better cognitive performance” in later life. And a 2025 study from researchers at Tufts in Massachusetts and the Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center in Chicago found that participants who ate more than one egg per week could see as much as a 47 percent decline in Alzheimer’s risk.

In all of the studies, it was the nutritional components of the eggs, and especially choline, that was found to help preserve cognitive function. Other nutrients, such as lutein, tryptophan and an omega-3 fat known as docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA, were said to play a role.

“These nutrients may act synergistically to support cognitive resilience and mitigate neurodegenerative processes,” the researchers of the Loma Linda study wrote. “Notably, deficiencies in choline and DHA have been documented in the brains of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease.”

The study’s authors, however, acknowledged that “some” of the funding for the research was provided by the American Egg Board, though it had “no role” in the execution or publication of the study. They also acknowledged a few of the study’s limitations — including participants who may have underreported any cognitive symptoms, or those who may have changed their diet in later years — and said further research is needed.

“Further research is warranted to explore this relationship in more diverse populations, evaluate whether long-term egg consumption earlier in life influences later risk of Alzheimer’s disease, and to investigate the role of specific egg-derived nutrients in relation to that risk,” the study states.

Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Eating eggs regularly reduces Alzheimer’s disease risk

Did you get any eggs at all in the hospital? And are they included in your diet protocol? Oh NO, you incompetently didn't get a diet protocol!

Do you prefer your doctor, hospital and board of director's incompetence NOT KNOWING? OR NOT DOING? Your choice; let them be incompetent or demand action! You do know incompetent doctors and hospitals can be fired!

Eating eggs regularly reduces Alzheimer’s disease risk

Researchers tracked nearly 40,000 older adults for 15 years and found that people who consumed eggs moderately developed Alzheimer’s disease less often than non-consumers.

Study: Egg Intake and the Incidence of Alzheimer’s Disease in the Adventist Health Study-2 Cohort Linked with Medicare Data. Image credit: tyasindayanti/Shutterstock.com

A recent Journal of Nutrition study investigated the relationship between egg consumption and the incidence of Alzheimer’s disease.

Alzheimer’s disease: Prevalence, risk factors, and dietary considerations

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder marked by amyloid-β plaque accumulation, neurofibrillary tangles, and neuronal loss, resulting in cognitive decline and death. It is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States, with projected national management costs exceeding $600 billion annually by 2050.

Alzheimer’s disease etiology involves genetic, vascular, and environmental factors, notably diet. Due to the lack of curative treatments and limited pharmacological efficacy, prevention targeting modifiable risk factors is critical. Previous research indicated higher dementia mortality among vegetarians compared to non-vegetarians, despite reduced all-cause and other cause-specific mortalities with vegetarian diets.

Recent studies indicate egg consumption may be associated with Alzheimer’s disease risk, with moderate intake linked to a 10 % reduction in neurodegenerative mortality. However, most studies are limited by design flaws, inconsistent dietary assessment, lack of biomarker validation, and inadequate adjustment for confounders, underscoring the need for rigorous investigation.

Investigating the impact of egg consumption on Alzheimer’s disease risk

The current study exploited the Adventist Health Study-2 (AHS-2) cohort to examine the relationship between egg consumption and Alzheimer’s disease risk, drawing on extensive dietary and health data from over 96,000 participants. AHS-2 data were merged with Medicare claims and deidentified. For this analysis, only US participants aged 65 and older were included, with eligibility based on Medicare records.

A total of 39,498 participants met the eligibility criteria. Dietary intake was measured at baseline with a validated food frequency questionnaire covering over 200 items. Both frequency and quantity of egg intake were recorded, including visible and hidden sources. Egg intake categories ranged from never to five or more times per week, and intake was energy-adjusted.

Alzheimer’s disease incidence was determined from Medicare records, using standard diagnostic codes. Only new cases after enrollment were counted. Cox proportional hazards models with attained age as the time scale were used to estimate the link between egg intake and Alzheimer’s risk.

To provide context for individual food intake, two substitution analyses were conducted to examine the replacement of eggs with nuts/seeds and legumes, which are nutrient-dense, commonly consumed plant-based protein sources in the cohort. These analyses examined how substituting eggs with alternative protein-rich foods might affect the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

Moderate egg consumption is associated with reduced Alzheimer’s disease risk

Significant baseline differences were observed across egg intake categories. The cohort had a mean age of 64 years and was 64 % female. Over 15.3 years of follow-up, 2,858 participants developed Alzheimer’s disease, with affected individuals more likely to have comorbidities and dietary patterns characterized by lower intake of eggs, meat, and fish and higher intake of fruits, grains, and nuts/seeds.

Multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional hazards models indicated that a higher frequency of egg consumption was independently associated with a lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease. After controlling for demographic factors, lifestyle variables, major food groups, and comorbidities, the hazard ratios (HRs) for Alzheimer’s disease, relative to never or rare egg intake, ranged from 0.83 for moderate intake (1–3 times per month or once per week) to 0.73 for frequent intake (5 or more times per week).

Any level of egg intake corresponded to a 17 %–27 % lower relative hazard of Alzheimer’s disease compared to no egg intake. This inverse relationship persisted after progressive adjustment for potential confounders.

Analysis of those consuming one or more eggs per day showed an HR of 0.74 compared to rare or no intake, but the small sample size limited statistical power. The study also noted that the highest intake category reflected frequency of consumption rather than precise daily egg counts. No significant interaction between sex or race/ethnicity and outcome was detected. The use of attained age as the time variable accounted for age-related risk.

Sensitivity analysis excluding vegans produced results consistent with the primary analysis, demonstrating a similar reduction in Alzheimer’s disease risk at higher egg intake frequencies.

Restricted cubic spline analysis showed a nonlinear inverse relationship between egg intake and Alzheimer’s disease risk; non-consumers had a significantly higher risk than participants consuming about one egg per week, with an HR of 1.22 relative to those consuming about one egg per week. Additional egg intake further reduced risk, though not significantly. Analyses comparing eggs with other protein-rich foods, such as legumes and nuts/seeds, produced broadly similar associations with Alzheimer’s disease risk.

Findings support possible brain-health role for eggs

The current study suggests that moderate egg consumption may be linked to a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease in older adults, adding to evidence that diet may play a role in brain health and supporting further investigation into the potential role of egg-derived nutrients in cognitive health.

The authors proposed several possible mechanisms that could explain this association, including nutrients found in eggs such as choline, DHA, lutein, zeaxanthin, phospholipids, and vitamin B12, although these mechanisms were not directly tested in the study.

Despite these key observations, this study has several limitations, including residual confounding that cannot be fully excluded due to the observational design and dietary intake measured only at baseline, which may not capture changes over time. Furthermore, reliance on Medicare data may lead to missing milder or undiagnosed Alzheimer’s cases. The authors also noted the possibility of reverse causation, in which preclinical Alzheimer’s disease could influence dietary habits before diagnosis, although they argued that dietary patterns in this cohort were generally stable over time. In addition, because death can occur before Alzheimer’s diagnosis in older adults, the reported hazard ratios should not be interpreted as direct measures of absolute disease risk.

Importantly, the study population consisted of a relatively health-conscious Seventh-day Adventist cohort with low rates of smoking and alcohol use and generally lower egg consumption than the broader US population, which may limit the generalizability of the findings.

Further research should explore diverse populations, long-term dietary patterns, and the effects of specific egg-derived nutrients. In addition, the underlying mechanisms of eggs' neuroprotective effects must be explained.

The analysis was supported by an investigator-initiated grant from the American Egg Board, although the authors stated that the funder had no role in study design, data analysis, interpretation, manuscript preparation, or publication decisions.

Download your PDF copy by clicking here.